Yay! I’m building my new coop! Need some nest box advice please

[fargosmom]

Well really the hubs has done a lot of the work but it’s my design so I’m gonna take credit. I’ve certainly done my share of sweating, schlepping, cutting and hammering.
I need some ideas on one specific part. The nest box will be external, and I want to be able to open the bottom to clean out the nesting material. So there will be hinges on the base of the box.
What I can’t decide is how to secure the bottom. One option is a double-hinged hasp, but I don’t think that will look very nice. It has to be secure but I’d like a hidden latch or something.
Soooo . . if anyone out there in chickyville has done some version of a hinged bottom I’d love to see pix of your solution.
Thanks in advance!

 

[aart]

I just put a piece of vinyl cut to fit tight, then lift out the whole thing when cleaning is needed, not very often unless I get a softshell layer.
Never heard of a hinged nest bottom, some have 1/2" HC bottoms, but not outside the coop.

 

[fargosmom]

Thanks so much for the tip! But I really want the bottom to open down so I can dump all the nesting material right into my wheelbarrow. I like the idea of vinyl flooring though. Would make cleaning up squished eggs much easier